Starting my MCITP:EA journey

My new position requires me to pick up this certification so here I go. After getting my MCSE, I didn't really have a desire to delve deeper into the Microsoft world but I realize this'll be good material to learn if I want to market myself as a dynamic engineer. I already had the MCITP:EA book series for reference so I downloaded Server 2008 R2 180 day trial and I'm going to put it on a few virtual machines to follow along with the practice labs in the book.

I'd like to say it's going to be easy to build upon from my MCSE but I got my MCSE over 2 years ago and I really didn't use the knowledge like I thought I would. My goal is to knock out an exam every two months so I can have the certification completed by the end of the year. Fingers crossed.
BS, MS, and CCIE #50931
Blog: www.network-node.com
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Comments

  • kj0kj0 Member Posts: 767
    I'm currently (As in right this second) am studying my MCITP - Watching my CBT Nugget videos (3 to go) for 70-640 and I must say, I still don't feel ready to take the exam, yet I've been watching them, taking notes, reading books, for the past 6 months.

    Great to hear the Determination to knock them over in 2 months each. i wish I could say the same.

    Good Luck with it all. Keep us posted on your Progress.
    2017 Goals: VCP6-DCV | VCIX
    Blog: https://readysetvirtual.wordpress.com
  • sohoexamsohoexam Registered Users Posts: 8 ■□□□□□□□□□
    I'm wondering did you put the Win2008 onto a desktop server or laptop? I was considering purchasing a laptop and at the same time, maybe install the Win2008 and hyper-V onto the laptop to practice. Do you think this is doable?
  • netsysllcnetsysllc Member Posts: 479 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Good luck to you in the journey. I am doing my MCITP:SA currently and these tests are much harder than the old 2000/2003 MCSA/MCSE tests. I just passed the 70-642 on my third try and will be taking the 70-640 again soon.
  • EssendonEssendon Member Posts: 4,546 ■■■■■■■■■■
    sohoexam wrote: »
    I'm wondering did you put the Win2008 onto a desktop server or laptop? I was considering purchasing a laptop and at the same time, maybe install the Win2008 and hyper-V onto the laptop to practice. Do you think this is doable?

    You can, just make sure that the machine support virtualization (usually turned on in the BIOS), is 64bit and has plenty of RAM (8GB and above is good).
    NSX, NSX, more NSX..

    Blog >> http://virtual10.com
  • sohoexamsohoexam Registered Users Posts: 8 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Hey thanks! Is downloading the Win2008 Server trial the only best way to go for a free OS or is there somewhere I can download or even purchase a "cheap" Win2008 server OS for practice?
  • EssendonEssendon Member Posts: 4,546 ■■■■■■■■■■
    sohoexam wrote: »
    Hey thanks! Is downloading the Win2008 Server trial the only best way to go for a free OS or is there somewhere I can download or even purchase a "cheap" Win2008 server OS for practice?

    Yupp, the trial is the best way to go. It's good for 180 days, and you can rearm it a number of times (I've rearmed mine twice already) without any loss of functionality.
    NSX, NSX, more NSX..

    Blog >> http://virtual10.com
  • sohoexamsohoexam Registered Users Posts: 8 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Which version should I download? I think there is the Win2008 standard, Win2008 R2 standard and the Enterprise version. I'm going for the MCITP Win2008 Enterprise admin cert.
  • EssendonEssendon Member Posts: 4,546 ■■■■■■■■■■
    Go for the full monty, the DataCenter edition. The Enterprise edition isnt much different either (for most lab purposes).
    NSX, NSX, more NSX..

    Blog >> http://virtual10.com
  • EssendonEssendon Member Posts: 4,546 ■■■■■■■■■■
    I think we have derailed Iristheangel's thread a little! Good luck in your pursuit, but if I may ask - why arent you going for the MCSE: Cloud 2008 or whatever whacky name they have for the new cert? Werent they going to phase out the EA or something?
    NSX, NSX, more NSX..

    Blog >> http://virtual10.com
  • lantechlantech Member Posts: 329
    Good luck iristheangel. I just passed my CCENT exam not long ago and was going to start studying for the ICND2 exam. Life got in the way a little bit and now it has really gotten in the way. I'm working a job I absolutely hate and to make matters worse all of the executive management at work was just asked to resign last week by the investors. Kind of got me a little scared about what is going to happen with the company.

    So I'm going to put off studying for the ICND2 and work on updating my MS certs. Started studying for the 70-642 exam. I got the MCSE on NT 4.0 a long time ago. From what I've read while there have been some changes it shouldn't be to difficult to catch up. I've done some support of Server 2003 and 2008 but nothing hardcore. Though Active Directory will be a whole new experience I must say. And that is one large book to study. I must say, I'm glad I already know subnetting. The MS Books aren't really all that good at explaining it and I might refer to my CCNA books for the IPV6.
    2012 Certification Goals

    CCENT: 04/16/2012
    CCNA: TBD
  • IristheangelIristheangel Mod Posts: 4,133 Mod
    I put Server 2008 on my new i7 laptop with VMWare. It seems to be working just fine so far but I haven't played with it much yet.

    I'm not going for the MCSE Cloud because the employer isn't asking for that. He wants me to work on the MCITP:EA before anything else.
    BS, MS, and CCIE #50931
    Blog: www.network-node.com
  • YuckTheFankeesYuckTheFankees Member Posts: 1,281 ■■■■■□□□□□
    Good luck Irishtheangel!, I've heard/read those exams are pretty hard.
  • kj0kj0 Member Posts: 767
    Isn't there an upgrade Exam for MSCE to MCITP? I could be mistaken but I thought I saw something around.
    2017 Goals: VCP6-DCV | VCIX
    Blog: https://readysetvirtual.wordpress.com
  • jmritenourjmritenour Member Posts: 565
    There are a couple exams required to upgrade from MCSE 2003 to MCITP:EA. 70-649 consolidates the content of 70-640, 70-642, and 70-643 into one upgrade exam. Then, the enterprise admin exam itself, 70-647 is required. In addition, a client exam might be required, unless 70-620, 70-621, 70-681 or 70-680, were used as the client exam or an elective for the MCSE track.

    That said, I've heard the upgrade exams for 2008 are brutal. Having done 70-680, 70-640, 70-642, and 70-643 (need to retake, it's The Beast of this group as far as I can see), I can say they are not exactly easy as standalone exams, and I'm neck deep in 2008 environments day in and day out.

    I had considered trying to bull rush and upgrade my MCSA on 2003 to at least MCITP:SA prior to entering WGU to decrease the number of exams I'd have to take to get to EA, and to transfer more credits in, but ultimately decided it was in my best interest to sit back and let WGU pay for the cert for me, and provide my learning resources.

    So that said, if her employer is willing to pay for the certs and study material, I wouldn't even give the upgrade path a second thought.
    "Start by doing what is necessary, then do what is possible; suddenly, you are doing the impossible." - St. Francis of Assisi
  • IristheangelIristheangel Mod Posts: 4,133 Mod
    There are two tests I could take to upgrade but those tests are pretty brutal. It would be easier study-wise to just go through the four exams. Technically I'm a student still so I get the Microsoft exams at $80 a pop
    BS, MS, and CCIE #50931
    Blog: www.network-node.com
  • tprice5tprice5 Member Posts: 770
    I am in an identical situation as yourself except I am trying to complete the EA by october to have it knocked out before fall classes occupy all of my time.

    Goodluck to us!

    Hopefully you get as much free time at work as I do to study!
    Certification To-Do: CEH [ ], CHFI [ ], NCSA [ ], E10-001 [ ], 70-413 [ ], 70-414 [ ]
    WGU MSISA
    Start Date: 10/01/2014 | Complete Date: ASAP
    All Courses: LOT2, LYT2 , UVC2, ORA1, VUT2, VLT2 , FNV2 , TFT2 , JIT2 , FMV2, FXT2 , LQT2
  • PsoasmanPsoasman Member Posts: 2,687 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Good luck with this. I agree that it's probably better to take the exams one at a time.
  • kj0kj0 Member Posts: 767
    Can there really be anything more brutal than these tests? I sort of lost interest on Certificates and Federation services so now I have to go back soon and re-watch it.
    2017 Goals: VCP6-DCV | VCIX
    Blog: https://readysetvirtual.wordpress.com
  • X10MMXX10MMX Member Posts: 81 ■■□□□□□□□□
    I am doing my MCITP:EA at the moment. I am working on my 70-642, completed the 70-640 a couple of months ago. Good luck once you get a MCITP:EA you automatically get a MCSA: Server 2008. Then you only sit two more exams and that would earn you a MCSE Private cloud title.
    Heres the link: Microsoft Private Cloud Overview
  • sohoexamsohoexam Registered Users Posts: 8 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Hey guys, great info here! I'm trying to find out which books or training kit to purchase to pursue the MCITP:EA certifications. I'm planning on buying a laptop with 16gb of RAM, install Win2008 server and have 3 virtual machines running for my certification training.
  • X10MMXX10MMX Member Posts: 81 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Hey Sohoexam, The best way I find to learn the material is that I watch the CBT nuggets on the topic then read the Microsoft self paced training books. Follow that up with a labbing then final prep. Its worked for me so far icon_cheers.gif
  • matt333matt333 Member Posts: 276 ■■■■□□□□□□
    There are two tests I could take to upgrade but those tests are pretty brutal. It would be easier study-wise to just go through the four exams. Technically I'm a student still so I get the Microsoft exams at $80 a pop


    thanks, I didnt even know about this
    Studying: Automating Everything, network API's, Python etc.. 
    Certifications: CCNP, CCDP, JNCIP-DC, JNCIS-DevOps, JNCIS-ENT, JNCIS-SP
  • tprice5tprice5 Member Posts: 770
    sohoexam wrote: »
    Hey guys, great info here! I'm trying to find out which books or training kit to purchase to pursue the MCITP:EA certifications. I'm planning on buying a laptop with 16gb of RAM, install Win2008 server and have 3 virtual machines running for my certification training.

    That is going to be expensive in a laptop. Also, you will likely not be able to upgrade a lot of the components moving forward. Go with a desktop, much cheapers and scalable.
    Certification To-Do: CEH [ ], CHFI [ ], NCSA [ ], E10-001 [ ], 70-413 [ ], 70-414 [ ]
    WGU MSISA
    Start Date: 10/01/2014 | Complete Date: ASAP
    All Courses: LOT2, LYT2 , UVC2, ORA1, VUT2, VLT2 , FNV2 , TFT2 , JIT2 , FMV2, FXT2 , LQT2
  • sohoexamsohoexam Registered Users Posts: 8 ■□□□□□□□□□
    tprice5 wrote: »
    That is going to be expensive in a laptop. Also, you will likely not be able to upgrade a lot of the components moving forward. Go with a desktop, much cheapers and scalable.

    Depends on what you mean by expensive. I've checked out a few and they are around $1,500 - $2000 for 16GB of memory. I opt for a laptop because I wanted a personal laptop to use as well as use it for my MCITP training. For sure desktop is way cheaper but it is my 2nd option.
  • onesaintonesaint Member Posts: 801
    @Iris: Good luck and study hard. With your determination and track record, you've got this in the bag.
    Work in progress: picking up Postgres, elastisearch, redis, Cloudera, & AWS.
    Next up: eventually the RHCE and to start blogging again.

    Control Protocol; my blog of exam notes and IT randomness
  • Wilson502Wilson502 Member Posts: 68 ■■□□□□□□□□
    @iristheangel Good luck with your journey, im in the same process of starting my journey to the MCITP:EA, my goal is to at least get the SA designation before i graduate from CSU Fresno in Spring of '13 and start looking for work either down in Orange County where you are or in the Bay Area.
    Currently Studying: MCITP:SA, B.S. Business Administration with Focus in Computer Info Systems, Cal State Fresno
    Degree Completion: Spring 2013
    Future Studies: MCITP:EA, MCSE 2012, CCNA/CCNP, VCP5, Security+, Linux+, SQL
  • IristheangelIristheangel Mod Posts: 4,133 Mod
    @Wilson - NICE. Let me know when you're in the area. I might be able to help you with a job in either place. Good luck with your studies until then
    BS, MS, and CCIE #50931
    Blog: www.network-node.com
  • Wilson502Wilson502 Member Posts: 68 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Thx Iris, ill prolly shoot you a PM in the meantime to give you a more detailed background on my experience, etc.
    Currently Studying: MCITP:SA, B.S. Business Administration with Focus in Computer Info Systems, Cal State Fresno
    Degree Completion: Spring 2013
    Future Studies: MCITP:EA, MCSE 2012, CCNA/CCNP, VCP5, Security+, Linux+, SQL
  • pumbaa_gpumbaa_g Member Posts: 353
    Some said something about a 16 Gb RAM and Windows 2008 R2 Laptop, any updates? adding RAM is not a concern its simple enough but how to get a Win 2008 license is a question I have. How much do you think it will cost? Is it really feasible, I can install Windows Experience but will it work is my question
    [h=1]“An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less until he knows absolutely everything about nothing.” [/h]
  • kj0kj0 Member Posts: 767
    Download the trial from Microsoft. It has 180 days, but you can continue to evaluate it afterwards. It includes Standard, Enterprise and Datacenter versions.
    2017 Goals: VCP6-DCV | VCIX
    Blog: https://readysetvirtual.wordpress.com
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